John Mullins knows that a dog is a man's best friend, except
when Spot refuses to stand still for his bath. That's when
tempers soar and soap suds fly, as the shaggy, four-legged pup
shakes excess water all over his owner. To put an end to this messy
and often frustrating ritual, Mullins offers a combination
self-service pet wash and espresso bar called Poochies in San
Diego.

Pet owners pay $7 to be outfitted with waist-high tubs full of
temperature-controlled water, massaging mitts, grooming shampoo,
fresh towels and rubber aprons to keep dry. Attendants are
available to offer washing tips and clean up after the bath is
completed.

"With their owners, dogs feel more secure and are much
calmer when they're bathed. Some dogs even take their baths
lying down," says Mullins, a former veterinary technician, who
opened Poochies in 1993. Owners feel calmer, too. As their pets dry
in the automated dog dryer, they can relax at the espresso bar or
go next door to Poochies' pet-supply shop, where they can buy
shampoo, creme rinses, colognes and other pet products.

Mullins didn't wait for customers to come barking at his
door. He distributed door hangers, ran ads on the back of
grocery-store receipts and in local newspapers, and paid for space
in the San Diego Tribune to announce free pet washes during
the Christmas holidays. His frequent-user program keeps pets--and
their owners--coming back. After the fifth wash and ninth cup of
coffee, the next of each is free. To stay in touch, Mullins has
introduced a customer newsletter, "Poochies Press," which
is mailed to some 2,500 four-legged patrons each month.

"You have to be diverse in the methods you choose to reach
your customers. They're not all watching the same television
show or reading the same publications," Mullins says.
"Select an advertising medium like a door hanger or newsletter
to fill in where you think there might be gaps in reaching some
customers."

Before opening, a major planning hurdle was separating the pet
wash and espresso bar to satisfy local health ordinances. "We
probably went through three sets of blueprints," recalls
Mullins. "It's a difficult concept to logistically put
together." In the end, a partition with a door and glass
window was built between the two areas.

An important component of Mullins' success was thorough
research of his market. "You need to look at location,
suppliers, vendors, competition, customer base, and the amount of
money you'll need to start your business. We boot-strapped a
great deal in the early days. If you can plan more and better at
the beginning, it will help relieve future stress and
problems," says Mullins, who's seen his initial $25,000
investment grow into a 2,000-square-foot business with 21
employees, grossing over $20,000 a month. His goal is to open five
new stores by the year 2000.

Mullins is pleased with Poochies' success, which has already
drawn the attention of the Wall Street Journal, "CBS
This Morning" and "Inside Edition." "You hope
you do the right things," he says, "and get the payoff in
the end."

The next time Sacramento, California, small-business writer
Carla Goodman visits San Diego, she's planning to take along
her Alaskan huskie, Blanca, for a wash-and-dry.